Electronic Dance Music Discussion Thread - Page 109

On February 02 2016 01:11 decafchicken wrote:
I could listen to this prydz track forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutCCEzxNWA

On February 02 2016 10:14 EngrishTeacher wrote:


Seriously?

I can even give it to you that the song might be catchy to some, but that simplistic of a tiring repetition of a melody and harmony (90% of the song is the same theme on repeat)?

Ugh, I'm taking this too seriously. Enjoy your music.


Back on topic: please recommend to me an EDM artist with real classical music training (piano, acoustic guitar, music theory, etc.), that focuses on polyphony, thematic variations, dynamics, and maybe even some harmonic shifts in their music? I'm only into classical and electronic music (most psytrance), but so far EDM has failed to impress me. I'm sure there's a very polished gem somewhere in this tiring genre that has homogenized more and more after becoming mainstream.

Edit: I implore the previous poster, decafchicken to really describe to me why he/she thinks so highly of that song. I honestly gave it a chance again, but I implore you to just press 1 - 9 on your keyboard to skip to different times of the song, and really tell me you can actually listen to such a repetitive piece more than a few times. I guess this was what I was trying to say; EDM has become mainstream enough that a decent beat, a catchy melody and the inclusion of any form of build-up/drop is enough to please the very casual listener. Most of the genre has become the shitty pop music of electronic music, and I'm honestly searching for something that stands out musically within the pile of steaming feces.

On February 02 2016 10:14 EngrishTeacher wrote:


Seriously?

I can even give it to you that the song might be catchy to some, but that simplistic of a tiring repetition of a melody and harmony (90% of the song is the same theme on repeat)?

Ugh, I'm taking this too seriously. Enjoy your music.


Back on topic: please recommend to me an EDM artist with real classical music training (piano, acoustic guitar, music theory, etc.), that focuses on polyphony, thematic variations, dynamics, and maybe even some harmonic shifts in their music? I'm only into classical and electronic music (most psytrance), but so far EDM has failed to impress me. I'm sure there's a very polished gem somewhere in this tiring genre that has homogenized more and more after becoming mainstream.

Edit: I implore the previous poster, decafchicken to really describe to me why he/she thinks so highly of that song. I honestly gave it a chance again, but I implore you to just press 1 - 9 on your keyboard to skip to different times of the song, and really tell me you can actually listen to such a repetitive piece more than a few times. I guess this was what I was trying to say; EDM has become mainstream enough that a decent beat, a catchy melody and the inclusion of any form of build-up/drop is enough to please the very casual listener. Most of the genre has become the shitty pop music of electronic music, and I'm honestly searching for something that stands out musically within the pile of steaming feces.

On February 02 2016 10:14 EngrishTeacher wrote:


Seriously?

I can even give it to you that the song might be catchy to some, but that simplistic of a tiring repetition of a melody and harmony (90% of the song is the same theme on repeat)?

Ugh, I'm taking this too seriously. Enjoy your music.


Back on topic: please recommend to me an EDM artist with real classical music training (piano, acoustic guitar, music theory, etc.), that focuses on polyphony, thematic variations, dynamics, and maybe even some harmonic shifts in their music? I'm only into classical and electronic music (most psytrance), but so far EDM has failed to impress me. I'm sure there's a very polished gem somewhere in this tiring genre that has homogenized more and more after becoming mainstream.

Edit: I implore the previous poster, decafchicken to really describe to me why he/she thinks so highly of that song. I honestly gave it a chance again, but I implore you to just press 1 - 9 on your keyboard to skip to different times of the song, and really tell me you can actually listen to such a repetitive piece more than a few times. I guess this was what I was trying to say; EDM has become mainstream enough that a decent beat, a catchy melody and the inclusion of any form of build-up/drop is enough to please the very casual listener. Most of the genre has become the shitty pop music of electronic music, and I'm honestly searching for something that stands out musically within the pile of steaming feces.

On February 02 2016 11:05 DukE_ss wrote:



There is plenty of good electronic music...you just to search and to a certain know where to search. Funny how you mention psytrance considering most of that genre is pretty repetitive itself. Don't get me wrong I own/in my cart have a my fair share of psytrance, so I definitely like the genre and prefer that to most of the so called "trance" these days.

You seem to be the type of person that should listen to some house/deep house and even chill out music. You should go do some searches and/or not be such a tool to a point where people are unwilling to help you. Like myself.

Back to the song, it's not Eric Prydz best remix but definitely heard much worse. If the above mentioned poster doesn't like a little repetitiveness then you're in the wrong section of genres. These genres have subtle nuances and such that you need to really listen to, to understand. I would expect you to notice those being such a "classical" music listener.

Suppose I shouldn't expect much considering how you posted, your idiotic remarks and the fact that you are throwing EDM around and not actually digging into the actual genre/sub genres.

Edit: Sorry you didn't ask state you listened to classical music, which actual just makes you look worse in my book. Also glad you like to make huge generalization about a a genre/sub genres without doing any actual real research. Again way to make yourself look like a tool.

Edit 2: Have you actually gone through this thread to see if there is any tracks that you may like? I know I've posted a fair share myself, along with others. Or is this too much to ask from such a stellar poster as yourself?

On February 02 2016 14:31 ticklishmusic wrote:


do you find paganini's caprices and basically all baroque music boring as well

On February 02 2016 14:50 EngrishTeacher wrote:


You have no idea what you're talking about sorry, baroque music is probably as polyphonic as music could be. Bach's Fugues are absolutely insane, with upwards of 5 completely independent melodies being played at the same time by the same performer. I was never able to play fluently his tougher fugues making each melody sound natural and independent, despite being able to play some quite flashy Liszt pieces.

Please do your research before attempting to make a snide remark, or it backfires and makes you look like a fool.

On February 02 2016 14:42 EngrishTeacher wrote:


I came to the thread to ask for a good suggestion, then stumbled upon the last song posted and couldn't hold back my bewilderment and elitism. For that I apologize, I've done it too with other music threads and I suppose I should keep the harsher comments to myself. I have extensive training in music theory, and I used to perform with a local orchestra as a pianist.

However, with that said, let me rephrase what I meant. I've heard your top EDM tracks on youtube of 201x, and been to a few EDM festivals, but have not heard a single EDM song that I truly enjoy enough to warrant repeated listenings; because I neither find the songs complex enough (dynamic variations, POLYPHONY, harmonic shifts, etc., qualities that make a song "complex" enough so that each subsequent listening produces something new for the trained listener) nor catchy enough. I personally do not enjoy any type of music that I could easily dissect and reproduce in 20 minutes with just a few listenings.

So yes I agree psytrance in general was a bad example. I actually only listen to a very small portion of it, the good stuff of the genre if you will, such as Infected Mushroom. Classically trained turned electronic musicians? Check. Polyphony? Check. Dynamic variations? Very good contrast, check. Harmonic shifts? Yes, amazingly, yes. I could go on and on, but instead I'll just leave you with an exemplar of what I deem to be good electronic music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9sB6T29xkI


TL;DR: Anything in EDM that sounds anything like the above? Is there an Infected Mushroom of EDM? Are there any EDM artists that are classically trained with music that stand out for its complexity and variations instead of your average beat+female vocal+1 melody "popular" EDM songs?

On February 02 2016 15:11 aksfjh wrote:

Uh, well, seeing how psytrance counts as EDM, then yes, there is plenty like that in the giant umbrella that is EDM. If what you're looking for is something that you described that you don't like but in a form that you do like, no, there's nothing like that. I mean, there are songs that I think fit your description of what you like with enough variation (some stuff by deadmau5, BT, Blizzard) but it seems like you've already decided you don't like things that don't make you feel better than everybody else.

On February 02 2016 15:04 ticklishmusic wrote:


i'm a classically trained (well, suzuki starting off) violinist for 15+ years, and i've played the caprices + a good selection of baroque (not a huge fan of it tbh). i've played in multiple chamber groups, several youth" orcehstras including allstate and a few solo competitions and recitals. perhaps you're more experience than i am, but i think i know what i'm talking about. (i was half kidding b/c you came off as uber elitist)

that said, mainstream edm is not gonna give you what you're looking for. some of the old school, underground stuff is more impressive from a technical and musical (if you want to call it that) standpoint. there are a lot of classicaly trained musicians who go into electronic-- some of the more mainstream ones are zed, big gigantic... i'd have to dig for others though.

i guess a few random things off the top of my head (perhaps not what you're looking for) might be adagio for strings (by tiesto in him prime) and things that sounds rather similar like oliver helden's melody and Brian Eno's variations on Canon in D. Hard to think of 100% original pieces by producers though, honestly.

On February 02 2016 15:56 EngrishTeacher wrote:


Yah I'm trying to get better with holding back my unwarranted elitism, subjectivity in music and all. And yes I realize mainstream EDM isn't my cup of tea, so that's why I've been searching:D

I mean electronic music just seems like the natural evolution of music, where the range and timbre of your electronic "instrument" is basically unlimited and completely unrestrained, something never before possible in the history of sound. You can do so much with sound with such little effort, with such immense freedom to either revere old masterpieces by incorporating their melodies and timbre into your song, or explore wholly new sounds without any limitation whatsoever.

So why artificially limit yourself to a certain type or way of sound, and ignore everything that adds spice and complexity to a song as an electronic musician? The answer is sadly to make more money, and often a question of musical ability. So yah, I'm sifting through the dirt to find the good stuff; with your background and broader knowledge in EDM, I'd be really grateful if you could list more artists and especially songs that has that extra oomph.

It's not that I can't appreciate a simplistic yet catchy song, but I can do that with a simple google search and am looking for things actually worthy of saving to local storage.

On February 02 2016 15:56 EngrishTeacher wrote:


Yah I'm trying to get better with holding back my unwarranted elitism, subjectivity in music and all. And yes I realize mainstream EDM isn't my cup of tea, so that's why I've been searching:D

I mean electronic music just seems like the natural evolution of music, where the range and timbre of your electronic "instrument" is basically unlimited and completely unrestrained, something never before possible in the history of sound. You can do so much with sound with such little effort, with such immense freedom to either revere old masterpieces by incorporating their melodies and timbre into your song, or explore wholly new sounds without any limitation whatsoever.

So why artificially limit yourself to a certain type or way of sound, and ignore everything that adds spice and complexity to a song as an electronic musician? The answer is sadly to make more money, and often a question of musical ability. So yah, I'm sifting through the dirt to find the good stuff; with your background and broader knowledge in EDM, I'd be really grateful if you could list more artists and especially songs that has that extra oomph.

It's not that I can't appreciate a simplistic yet catchy song, but I can do that with a simple google search and am looking for things actually worthy of saving to local storage.

On February 03 2016 16:07 Lebesgue wrote:
Anyway, I am not fan of the most recent electronic music and I usually limit myself to the years 2000-2007. If you want to check some older stuff check out this set. It is progressive trance from my favorite years, which sadly is extremely uncommon these days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoxpyjrTJ7Y&list=LLOlmxkUgszBVA3ATpn2otmQ&index=18

On February 03 2016 16:07 Lebesgue wrote:


I thought I will chip in to the discussion. If you are looking for electronic music that has complex beats try breakbeat, or some more experimental types such as trip-hop. Check http://www.di.fm/, they have a channel on pretty much any type of electronic music that you can think of. Try something off beat, rather than main stream house/trance.

I have to say that your attitude is quite obnoxious. The point is that a lot of people do not enjoy complexity. I personally do not like much of the classical music because it sounds too complex to me, too chaotic, too distracting. I enjoy smooth electronic tracks with slow build-up and a nice simple drop. The new dimension of a track will be addition of a new sound that I have not heard before. If the track sounds generic (no new sound) then I skip it and move forward.

Also, look, I can reverse your statement here. Why make things so complex if one can express emotions with simple tones? Sadly, this seems to cover the lack of substance and creativity. So the question is, how you define skill and quality of music. To me complexity by itself is useless. It better have some point rather than screaming "look, I can do that!"

Anyway, I am not fan of the most recent electronic music and I usually limit myself to the years 2000-2007. If you want to check some older stuff check out this set. It is progressive trance from my favorite years, which sadly is extremely uncommon these days.+ Show Spoiler +

Finally, if you don't have decent monitors or headphones than you can stop searching right now. In contrast to pop, good electronic music will sound like crap unless you have a decent equipment. I heard many times some of my favorite tracks on laptop loudspeakers or some crappy computer speakers and I could hardly recognize them.